The need for the present invention arises from the recent great increase in the number and distribution of small computer systems for home and business use. These small computer systems typically include a limited amount of processing power and a severely limited amount of memory. The rapid rise in the number of these small computer systems in use has greatly increased the number of and distribution of persons using computer systems. This has served to whet the appetite of many such users and many of these users now feel a need for computer systems with greater processing power and memory for expanded use.
At the same time as the rise in number and distribution of these small computer systems, a number of data processing and/or data base services have evolved. Typically these services provide data processing and/or data base management and transmission to numerous users on a time share basis. Typically these systems communicate with their users by acoustical tones transmitted on ordinary telephone lines. As the number and use of small computers increases and the number and variety of these data processing and/or data base services increases, these services will eventually become virtual public utilities providing widely desired services to numerous people.
Currently and in the expected future the data processing and/or data base services mentioned above charge their customers based upon on connect time, that is the amount of time the user is connected to and interacting with the system, or on the basis on the data processing services, or data base services performed on a combination of each of these systems. Due to the expected increase in the number of both small computing systems employed by users and data processing and/or data base services, there is an increasing need for means for effectuating efficient communications between the users and these evolving public utilities. Any means which will minimize the data rate required for a particular communication or which will efficiently interact between the user and the service with a minimum of waiting time will enable the user to reduce the charge of the service based upon connect time.